By IANS,
New Delhi : An agreement is likely to be inked Oct 11 between the government and Ekta Parishad — a people’s group under whose banner 35,000 people, including tribals, farmers and landless, are marching to Delhi from Gwalior demanding land reforms, activists said Wednesday.
The government is likely to accept some of the demands of ‘Ekta Parishad’ which is leading the ‘Jan Satyagraha Yatra’ (people’s agitation for truth) for action, said activists on phone from Agra.
Their main demands include a guarantee of ‘home state land’ for the shelterless, agricultural land for the poor, a land reforms policy and fast-track courts to try land cases.
P.V. Rajagopal, leader of Ekta Parishad told IANS on phone that the document was likely to be signed Thursday.
“We may sign a document with government Oct 11 in Agra,” Rajagopal told IANS.
“We have been having dialogue with the government, and if an agreement is reached we will sign the document in Agra,” Rajagopal said.
Group member Aneesh Thillenkery, however, added that a final call on continuing the march will be taken Thursday itself.
“We are likely to sign a document with government which will have a list of our demands for land reforms. A final call will be taken Thursday,” Thillenkery added.
Talks are still on between government and and the activists group on the final format of the document.
Members had earlier indicated that if their demands were met, the yatra could end before reaching Delhi.
“We will take a call on it once, and if, the document is signed,” Thillenkery said.
The Jan Satyagraha Yatra, which started from Gwalior Oct 2, intends to reach Delhi Oct 28 if no agreement is reached with the government.
Activists said nearly 35,000 people had started Oct 2 from Gwalior and were now close to Agra.
Ramesh had earlier this month gone to Gwalior along with Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Jyotiraditya Scindia to talk to the activists.
According to Ekta Parishad, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also joined them Wednesday in Agra and addressed the crowd.